6 dead after separate shootings along Mississippi River, police say

A suspected gunman killed six people in a shooting spree across a small city in east-central Iowa before he was found dead with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, authorities said on June 1.

In a news release, the Muscatine Police Department said it is "actively investigating a series of homicides" that occurred at multiple locations within the city. Muscatine, Iowa, which has a population of over 23,000, is located along the Mississippi River and is about 67 miles southeast of Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

"Today, I simply do not have the words — this act of evil and what it has done to our community," Muscatine Police Chief Anthony Kies said at a brief news conference, adding that there was no "active threat" to the community.

After receiving a report of a shooting, police said responding officers and emergency medical personnel discovered four victims dead at a residence. During the preliminary investigation, detectives learned that there were possibly additional victims, and officers subsequently found two men dead in separate locations.

Officers also located the suspect, who was identified as 52-year-old Ryan Willis McFarland, nearby the first residence on a trail along the Mississippi River, according to police.

"Preliminary findings indicate the shootings stemmed from a domestic‑related dispute," the Muscatine Police Department said in the news release. "All victims are believed to be family members of the deceased suspect."

The Muscatine Fire Department, Muscatine County Sheriff's Office, Iowa State Patrol, and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation are assisting local police in the investigation, according to Kies. The police chief noted that investigators are continuing to process the crime scenes and conduct witness interviews.

The Muscatine Police Department is asking anyone with information related to the incident to contact the department's Major Crimes Unit.

Victims were found in 3 separate locations along the Mississippi River

At about 12:12 p.m. local time on June 1, police said the Muscatine County Joint Communications Center received a report of a shooting at a residence located near the Mississippi River. After arriving at the residence, officers found four people who had sustained gunshot wounds and were pronounced dead at the scene, according to police.

Following the report of the shooting, the Muscatine County 911 Center and Muscatine County Emergency Management asked the public at about 12:46 p.m. local time to avoid "the area of the riverfront and the river end side" of Park Avenue due to an active investigation.

McFarland had left the residence before officers arrived at the scene, police said. Officers then located him on the Riverfront Trail near the pedestrian bridge.

"He was found with a self‑inflicted gunshot wound," police said in the news release. "Officers and EMS personnel provided medical aid, but he was pronounced deceased at the scene."

Further investigation revealed that there may have been more victims linked to the case, police said. Officers subsequently found two men dead from apparent gunshot wounds. One man was located inside another residence about two miles from the first residence, and the other man was discovered at a business near the second residence.

Police have not released the identities of the victims pending notification of family members. During the news conference, Kies said the suspect had a criminal record but declined to provide additional details.